Why Catholic?

I’ve been sitting with Susan’s post over on Creo en Dios — and considering how her words adapt to my reality. We come to this place from different roads. She was a cradle Catholic who left God and the Catholic Church, and returned. I started life in a Calvinist protestant environment (Presbyterian/Southern Baptist), made a choice in my teens to actually be a Christian, and by some twist of faith found my home the the Catholic Church.

I’m not so good at words as Susan but I get some feeling that we are trying to somehow explain similar feelings about this whole Catholic issue. The Church is Home. It is at some level Family. I disagree with many statements that come from Rome and USCCB. I cringe at many behaviors exhibited by those entrusted with the care and feeding of the members (I mean “care and feeding” in both physical and spiritual terms); I get ready to pack my bags and make my exit.

And then I stop.

“Where are you going?”

“Away!”

“Away to what?”

“Just away! Where I don’t have to put up with this hypocritical stupidity and corruption!”

“And where is that?”

At this point, I pause again. I cannot go. I came to this church primarily because of a certainty that the Mass, the Eurcharist, holds a lot more in it than my upbringing allows it to hold. That idea was both attractive and frightening.And it called me to “come” – not “go.” I have experienced the touch of God in Reconciliation.

And so, I stay. This is my home and family, warts and all. Not perfect. Sometimes grand, sometimes downright pathetic. There are many times I have to look beyond the visible manifestations of this Church and find the heart of it. I, like Susan, cannot for sure always say that I “need” to be Catholic, and for many of the same reasons. But, I am.

2 Comments

Jean
on October 18, 2009 at 11:50 am

I’m just finding your blog (through Creo en Dios, which I also just recently found)…just wanted to tell you this is wonderful. Keep writing – I appreciate it!

Liz
on October 18, 2009 at 12:03 pm

I’m erratic about writing Jean — even tho Susan at Creo en Dios tries to gently get me to be more regular about it. But, check in from time to time and maybe the Spirit will have pushed me to write.